Michael Cohenlast prosecution witness in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, returned to the stand Monday for a fourth day of testimony, his final appearance.
Cohen is the key witness in the case against Trump because he is the only person who has testified that Trump had personal knowledge of an alleged scheme to falsify business records to conceal reimbursements of a pre-election payment. ‘secret money’ to an adult film star in 2007. 2016.
He has already faced seven hours of fierce cross-examination, portraying him as a frequent liar, obsessed with Trump and determined to make money off the lawsuits against him. Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, said on May 16, the final day of the proceedings, that he had at least an hour of questions left to ask Cohen.
Prosecutors, who need Cohen’s testimony to close the case, also have other questions for him.
Last week, Blanche played clips of Cohen speaking about Trump last year on his podcast to the jury.
“I really hope this man ends up in prison,” Cohen is heard saying in one clip. “You better believe I want this man to crumble and rot inside for what he did to my family.”
Cohen admitted to lying under oath about $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 stemming from the deal, including bank fraud and campaign finance violations.
Prosecutors say 34 business records were falsified to conceal that payment and showed the jury the invoices, vouchers and checks that matched each criminal charge against Trump. The former president has pleaded not guilty.
News Source : www.cbsnews.com
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